CCC's secure email set up for Ipswich council whistleblowers

IPSWICH City Council faces further probing by corruption authorities, as its administrator works to persuade "reticent" whistleblowers to come forward.

The Crime and Corruption Commission announced last month it had wound up its long-running investigation that culminated in 15 people being charged with more than 90 offences.

Two former mayors and two former council chief executive officers are among those charged by the CCC with a range of criminal offences.

But there is the prospect of further scrutiny by investigators after the replacement of the council with an administrator last month led to a new drive to encourage staff to report any historic wrongdoing.

News Queensland can reveal at least one complaint has been forwarded to the CCC since the council was sacked.

A handful of other staff have also come forward with more minor concerns that fall beneath the CCC's threshold for investigation.

An external email address was established this week to encourage hesitant staff with concerns about the council to make complaints confidentially.

Salacious claims against former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale have emerged in recent weeks.

Interim administrator Greg Chemello said any emails sent to the whistleblower address would only be read by two members on the council's interim management committee, and it would sit outside the council's email system to boost confidence about security.

The interim committee is a five-man team of experts. It includes forensic investigator and partner of accounting firm KPMG Stan Gallo, who will lead internal investigations at the council. Mr Gallo previously worked at the CCC.

"The general feeling is there are some people who are reticent … to come out to us now," Mr Chemello said.

"If there is a degree of discomfort for whatever reason, they can contact this external email address.

Let's set this up, let's run with that and see what happens."

Mr Chemello said the email address would be available in the short term, but staff could always make complaints through the council's HR department or internal audit system.

"A handful of staff have come forward to myself or one of the members of the management committee with some concerns," he said.

"Some of those concerns have been aired before, some are new."

A spokesman for the CCC said any further complaints made to the watchdog about the council would be assessed in accordance with their "standard processes".

"The CCC has finalised Operation Windage, the investigation into Ipswich City Council," he said.